Life belt



July 3, 1923.

F. MORSE LIFE' BELT Filed July 7l, 1922 j/Wffzior viril/fifi!!! i Patented July 3, 1923.

` FRED MORSE, OF` NEW HAVEN, CONNEC'JIC'l.,y i

' LIFE BELT.

Application led July 7, 1922. Serial N0. 573,263.

-Tov all whom t may concemu Be it known that` I, FRED MORSE, a citizen of the -United States,- residing at New Haven, in the county of New' Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and 'useful-Improvements in Life Belts, of which they following is a specicatiom reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.l

This invention'relates to Va life belt and Vit is the principalfobject thereof to provide mechanism of this character' that maybe inflated or deflated after being kattached to the body.

Among othervl aims and objects of the inventionniay beirecited the provision of a device of the character mentioned with a view to'compactness, in which the number yof parts are few, the construction simple, cost of production small and efficiency and operation high.

The improvements in the details and ar rangement of parts will be apparentfrom an inspection of the accompanying drawings in connection with the description hereinafter contained, wherein a preferred em bodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of 'imparting an understanding of the same.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a life belt constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the valve mechanism;

Figure 3 is an underside view thereof; and

Figure 4 is Y'a transverse sectional view thereof, taken generally upon line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Having more particular reference to the drawings in connection with which like characters of reference indicate correspond-` ing parts, 10 designates a belt, which is designed to go around the body of a person and is constructed as is usual with such type of mechanism, the ends being secured by a button 11, or other similar fasteningv means, and connected therewith are suitable shoulder straps 12 to support the belt upon the shoulder, these being joined by a band 13.

The mechanism above described I do not claim as myv invention, but as heretofore made it vwas necessary to inflate the belt before attachment to the body. Thus the belt should either be continuously inflated and ready for use, or inflated when required f justbefore use, in which case there is usual-y ly insuflicient time for thel purpose and durr ing the excitement createdby vthe exigencie vof the occasion it is :often improperly and only partially inflated, `thus impairing its efficiency. f

My invention is applied particularly to the means whereby lthe belt maybegplacedy (loy on thenbody'andinflated afterwards, evenl though the wearerI is in the water, an opera; `tion impossibleV of performance with a lifev beltl of this typey heretoforermade.- I accomplish this [desirable result by lapplying a rubber" or'very flexible tubing 14 tothe belt -10 and securing tothe end thereof a valve mechanism, which" as kshown herein consists of a body portion 15 havingan outwardly flaringmouth piece 16, and in which is secured a valve plug/17 having an open. c v

ing 18 therethrough, which terminates at one end in a valve seat 19; Threaded into the.

lower end of the bodyportion 15 is a. stem Vplug 20having a plurality `of openings 21 therethrough. l

Movably mountedl in the body portion '15 is a Avalve 22 the stem 23 kof which passes' through and is supported in'a'n opening 24l inthe stem plug 20, a spring 25 surrounding c -said stem and abutting at one end Aagainst,

said stem plug 20 and the other againstthe valve which exerts its tension so as to hold the valve against the yvalve seat 19.V This valve is moved ofi' its seat manually by means of a lever 26 which kprojects through'.` the radial slot 27 inthe valve plug 17 and y having afinger 28 upon its inner end, which rests against thev top of the valve- 22.

\. Suitable means may be provided fory movably securing said lever, the means herein shown being apin 29` which forms a pivot.- upon which the lever rocksy when c actuated through manipulation of that portion thereof thatprojects outside of the body portion, 15.y

AfterV the belt has been placed upon the body, assuming it to be in its deflated'v condition, the wearer grasps the tubing 14,

presses his ynger against the outwardly projecting portion ofthe lever 26 and thereby forces the valve 22 off its seat and thenills the belt 10 with air4 through the mouth piece 16, the air passing through the opening 18, the body portion 15and the openings 21 in the stem plug 20. When the belt has been completely inflated'the valve 22 isreturnedf to its seat, thus preventing thevescape of air from the life belt when the lever 26 lis released, the spring 25 thereafter maintaining' said valve upon its seat.

laving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A valve mechanism comprising a body havinfr a mouth piece at one end; a valve plug therein adjacent to the mouth piece and having a valveseat upon the inner face thereof; a stem plug closing the end of said body opposite to said mouth piece; and a valve movably mounted .Within said body between said plugs; a pivotally mounted lever projecting through the Wall of said valve plug and body and having contact at its inner end with said valve, whereby the same .may be moved oil' its seat by manipulation of that portion of said leverthat projects outside of said'body member to permit air to pass thereby from the mouth piece.

2. In a device of the character described, a life belt; and means for inflating said life 25 belt when the same has been applied to the body and When both are in the Water, comprising a flexible member connected with said life belt and a valve mechanism connected With said flexible member, said latter mechanism having a body with a mouth piece at one end thereof; a

`valve plug therein adjacent to the mouth piece and having a valve seat upon the inner face thereof, a stem plug closing the end of said body opposite to said mouth piece and having openings therethrough; a valve movably mounted Within said body and supportedy in said stem plug; and a pivotally mounted lever 4projecting through the wall of said valve plug and body and having Contact at vits inner end With said valve, whereby the same may be moved olf its seat by manipulation of that portion of said lever that projects outside of said body member to permit air to pass thereby from the mouth piece.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto alliXed my signature.

FRED MORSE. 

